Removable coaxial vacuum tube connector



Aug. 21, 1956 J HOLLIS ETAL 2,760,177

REMOVABLE COAXIAL VACUUM TUBE CONNECTOR Filed Jan. 26, 1953 r IN VEN TOR. (/AMIJ L- l/OLl/S Min/4w Mia/A27? J4.

Ariana/[r United States Patent() REMOVABLE COAXIAL VACUUM TUBE CONNECTOR J mes L. Hollis and Herman Nebiker, Jr., Cedar Rapids, IQWa, assignors to Collins Radio Company, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa Application January 26, 1953, Serial No. 333,196. 4 Claims. (Cl. 339-258) This invent-ion relates in general to tube contacts and in particular to a. conducting ring which may be mounted to a, coaxial vacuum tube.

As electronics have gone into the. higher and higher frequencies, vacuum tubes have been constructed with coaxial metal parts wherein the radio tubes have an anode terminal which passes through a glass envelope and the tube must be mounted sothat the electrode contacts are detachably received in an electrical and thermal conducting socket. Since the tubes may be periodically removed, it is very desirable toeliminate scarring and burningof the contacts which would prevent satisfactory operation of the tube.

Thus, it is desirable to obtain good electrical and thermal contact between the electrode contacts and the sockets.

It is an object of this invention therefore to provide a socket adapter which makes intimate electrical and thermal contact with the electrode contacts of a coaxial tube and which may be removed from a sleeve with the tube.

It is an object of this invention to provide a quasipermanent connector ring which may be mounted on a terminal of a coaxial tube and which is insertable in a supporting sleeve.

Another object of this invention is to provide an adapter for a coaxial radio tube which may be received in a slidable fashion in a receptacle. The adapter may be replaced when arcing or other injuries occur between the slide contacts so that the tube may be used again since it is protected from the injuries caused by slide connections.

A feature of this invention is found in the provision for a coaxial radio tube adapter which is formed with inwardly pointed prongs that engage a coaxial element of a tube and which has a second plurality of slide contacts that are bent outwardly from the main body portion of the ring so as to engage the walls of a socket.

Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and claims when read in view of the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view illustrating the adapter rings of this invention in use with a suitable coaxial tube;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the adapter ring of this invention; and

Figure 3 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of the adapter.

Figure 1 illustrates a coaxial tube designated generally as which might be, for example, a XlSOA Eimac tube which has an anode terminal 11 that extends from a glass cylinder 12.

The glass cylinder 12 is connected to a larger metallic cylinder 13 that might be connected to the screen grid of tube 10. A second glass cylinder 14 is connected to cylinder 13. A third metallic cylinder 16 is connected 2,760,171 PatentedA 1956 2; to glass cylinder 14. Cylinder 16 might. be connected to the control grid of the tube, for example.

The members 11, 13 and 16 are received respectively in. adapter rings.- 17, 18v and 19. These rings are sup ported. by a cavity resonator 21. The cavity resonator 21 may. be of a well known, type which includes a tuning plunger 22, partition, 23, and internally supported cylinders 24. andv 25.

The adapter ring 17 is supported in a socket 32 in one end of cylinder 24 and. adapter ring 19 is. supported by socket 34. in. cylinder 25. The partition 23 supports a socket 33 which, receives ring 18 therein.

Since it is desired to periodically remove tube 10 from the surrounding structure, the contact between the tube contacts 11,, 13. and. 16 and the. tube supports must be a slide one. The adapter rings 17, 18 and 19 accomplish this connection in the present invention.

It is to be realized that the. rings 17, 18 and 19 are different in size, but similar in shape, and only line 19 will be described inv detail. The adapter rings comprise an annular bodyportion 26 which has. a first plurality of inwardly extending transverse. members 27 mounted about one: edge. 28 and extending radially inwardly to engage, the, base. of the, tube contacts.

Mounted internally within the main body portion 26 are a. plurality of inwardly extending tube engaging members 29.. a

Attached to the outer periphery of the body portion 26 are a third plurality of flexible fingers 31 which are generally formed in the shape of an oblique Z having two obtuse angles and which extend downwardly relative to Figure 3.

The adapter ring of this invention may be made of any suitable conducting material, as for example, copper.

In operation, an adapter of this invent-ion is attached to each of the tube contacts 11, 13 and 16 with a gentle rotary motion until the transverse members 27 engage the end of the tube contacts. The electron tube is then mounted in the cavity by inserting the adapter rings into sockets 32, 33 and 34. The outwardly extending fingers 31 of the adapter rings are slightly compressed when the tube is inserted into the sockets.

When it is desired to remove the tube from its sockets, it is Withdrawn and the adapter ring of this invention is removed from the socket with the tube. This is because the inwardly extending fingers 29 have sharp edges which tend to prevent relative motion between the adapter ring and the tube cylinders 11, 13 and 16 after they are connected as shown in Figure 1. The outer flexible contact fingers 31 readily slide relative to the sockets 32, 33 and 34.

Any arcing or burning which might occur would most likely occur between the sockets 32, 33 and 34 and the outwardly extending flexible fingers 31, and very little arcing and burning would occur between the tube contacts and adapter rings.

If a ring is excessively burned, it may be readily replaced with a new one merely by grasping the ring and tube in opposite hands and rotating them relative to each other. Once a new ring is in place operation may con. tinue.

It is seen that this invent-ion provides an adapter for a coaxial contact which is relatively permanently attached to the coaxial contact and which has outwardly extending fingers that are engageable with a socket. The adaptor ring may be easily replaced with a new one at relatively little cost. It prevents burning or injury to the anode contact itself which would require replacement of the entire tube.

Thus, the present invention increases the efiective life 3 of a coaxial radio tube and assures constant good contact between the tube and its slide socket.

Although the invention hasbeen described with respect to a preferred embodiment,'it is not to be so limited as changes and modifications may be made therein which are within the full intended scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A coaxial tube connector comprising, an annular body portion, a plurality of tube engaging portions attached adjacent one end of said annular body portion and pointed inwardly toward the center of the annular body portion and toward the second end, and a plurality of flexible fingers generally formed in the shape of an oblique Z having two obtuse angles attached adjacent the second end of said body portionand extending outwardly from the center and toward the one end of said body portion.

2. A coaxial tube connector comprising, an annular body portion, a plurality of transverse members attached to one end of said body portion and pointed radially inward therefrom, a plurality of tube engaging portions mounted to the inner wall of said body portion at the other end and pointed inwardly and toward the one end, said tube engaging members formed with a sharp edge, and a plurality of generally flexible fingers formed in the shape of an oblique 2 having two obtuse angles attached to said body portion on the external side adjacent the one end and pointed generally outward and toward the second end.

3. A coaxial tube connector comprising, an annular body portion having an inner and outer side, a plurality of tube engaging members attached to the annular body portion on the inner side adjacent one end thereof and pointed inwardly and toward the second end, said tube engaging members formed with sharp edges, and a plurality of flexible fingers generally formed in the shape of an oblique Z having two obtuse angles attached to the outside of said annular body portion adjacent the second end and extending outwardly and toward the first end.

4. Means for mounting a tube contact with-in a socket comprising, an annular body portion formed with an outside and an inside, a plurality of transverse members mounted to one end of said body portion and extending radially inward to engage the end of said tube contact, a plurality of tube engaging members attached to the inside of said body portion adjacent the second end and extending inwardly and toward the one end to engage the tube contact, the unattached ends of said tube engaging members being formed with sharp transverse edges, and a plurality of flexible fingers generally formed in the shape of an oblique Z having two obtuse angles attached to the outer wall of said annular body portion adjacent the one end and extending outwardly and toward the second end and adapted to engage the tube socket.

Sumner Mar. 12, 1940 Bels Aug. 26, 1947 

